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The city of Crawfordsville has begun workshopping its 2018 budget, and Mayor Todd Barton says employee retention is a priority.

The city will offer a 2-percent salary increase for municipal employees.

And Barton says departments such as Parks and Recreation are getting more money to improve the city’s quality of life.

“We’re going back and we’ve really assessed where we are with that tax levy and we’re comfortable in making some increases,” he says. “I’ve directed the parks department to step it up a notch. We need good, quality parks for our citizens.”

The Tippecanoe County Commissioners are one vote away from changing their policy on how the county courthouse may be used for displays and demonstrations.

The previous policy, which allowed the commissioners to approve or deny permits as they saw fit, was struck down by a federal court earlier this year.

The new policy is, in the words of county attorney Doug Masson, “viewpoint neutral,” though it retains restrictions on when a display may occur – mostly to avoid disturbing legal proceedings in the courthouse.

The concept of pretty is changing as women and girls are empowered to take on the world fearlessly in their unique ways. Photographer Kate Parker captures the individuality of girls and their own definitions of "pretty" in this week's feature, displaying each of them actively in their personal endeavors. From ages three to 18, the subjects of her photos define what strong is for the coming generations. West Lafayette Public Library Director Nick Schenkel has a review.

Gov. Eric Holcomb rolled out a regionally-specific portion of the state’s five-year infrastructure plan Thursday during a stop in West Lafayette. The governor and INDOT officials say interstates and bridges will be hit hardest with orange barrels.

INDOT Commissioner Joe McGuinness says one of the big priorities is adding lanes to I-65 and I-70 – he says he’d like to see a minimum of three lanes run each direction.

The line of strong storms that swept across much of Indiana Tuesday left in its wake more than 16,000 power outages, according to Duke Energy.

But Duke spokesman Lew Middleton says it wasn’t the number of customers left without power that was taxing power line crews.

“The unusual thing is that the outages are spread out as geographically as they are," Middleton says. "We’ve certainly had greater numbers of outages, but usually those are concentrated in a smaller geography.”

Tippecanoe County leaders will get a look Thursday at one of the first data-driven attempts at measuring cycling and walking in the community.

The Area Plan Commission will see a map showing more than 40 sites where volunteers have measured the volume of bikes and pedestrians.

APC Assistant Director for Transportation Planning John Thomas says it’s just a first step – more sites will still be surveyed – but it’s a way to keep lawmakers skeptical of building more bike-ped infrastructure engaged in the discussion.

As weather forecasts call for more rain and warm temperatures this week, county officials have extended their warning to stay out of creeks and rivers.

Lafayette Fire Department Special Operations Chief Randy Evans says moving waterways like the Wabash and Tippecanoe Rivers and Wildcat Creek have become dangerous as the speed of their currents has increased in recent days.

He says the creeks hold more water in a confined space, and that turns them into rapids.

The Arconic Foundation hopes a recent donation to Ivy Tech Community College's Lafayette campus will help address the skills gap facing the manufacturing industry.

The college plans to use its $100,000 grant to start a new 3-D printing course and buy two 3-D printers. The school also plans to purchase laser cutters and engravers, all to be housed in a new lab space.

It’s a position also held by Siegrist’s legislative predecessor, Rep. Randy Truitt (R-West Lafayette). And, like Truitt, she says she’d like to see more trains between Indianapolis and Chicago on a daily basis – but she admits there are challenges.